Peterloo – it wasn’t King George

08 November, 2018

Mike Leigh’s Peterloo

• YOUR review of Peterloo(Leigh makes a panto of Peterloo, November 1) suggests the massacre may have been ordered by George III. I have not seen the film so I do not know whether it too suggests this. It cannot, however, be correct.

George III was king at the time but in 1810 he became insane and remained so until his death in 1820. An act had to be passed early in 1811 making the Prince of Wales, the future George IV, regent so he could perform the royal functions.